April 7, 2010 – April 23, 2021

Howie came into my life in a cardboard box and now lies easy under the maple tree that he loved.

Howie was a tiny kitten when he became my one and only. Howie – Howard or The How Man – he answered to all, was a bundle of joy and he quickly became my soulmate. Howie was feisty and energetic, and delighted in playing with his toys, sleeping soundly in his condo and relaxing outdoors on his leash. He loved rolling back and forth on the grass.

To say Howie disliked being dressed up is an understatement. Still, he did look great with his costumes half on and half off! Howie surprised me with his humor – how can a cat have humor you ask? He was the quintessential fridge cat – he jumped in to smell the mint. A classic card shark, playing Texas Hold’em and usually winning. He edited my school papers with tact.

Howie was a delight in every sense of the word. He left a hole in my heart that has not been filled.

While there will be more kitties, there will never be another big, orange tabby named Howie. When he got sick with kidney disease Howie started sleeping with me, cuddled right up beside me in bed. He was so soft and loved having his fur brushed and petted. He purred when he got attention which means he purred all the time!

I knew when it was time to hold tight to Howie as he passed from this world to the next, and I put on a brave face. On the way to the car for that long, sad drive, I put him down to roll in the grass one more time.

I still cannot believe he is gone. Howie’s life was grand and was far too short.